A FORMER gangster who underwent a life-changing experience after nearly killing a man outside a nightclub is to give a talk in Dun Laoghaire.
John Pridmore, who was once a feared enforcer in the London underworld, will be speaking in St Michael’s Church on December 2 as part of a
‘Parish Mission’ event.
Pridmore has just finished a tour that reached out to more than 7,000 young people in schools and prisons and recently returned from Chicago and Florida after speaking at international conferences.
Forty-eight-year-old Pridmore served two prison sentences in his teens before he stepped up to become a top dog in London’s criminal fraternity.
The money he made from his life of crime bought him the classic gangster lifestyle of fast cars, designer suits and a string of beautiful women.
However, it all changed for him when he nearly killed a man outside a central London nightclub.
Since turning his life around he has travelled across the world, personally speaking to over 2.5 million people and warning kids about the dangers of the gun and drug culture.
At six foot five with a shaved head Pridmore looks more the hard man than motivational speaker but he leaves a deep impact on the young people he meets.
On the back of his bestselling biography
‘From Gangland to Promised Land’, Pridmore has released his latest book entitled
‘Journey to Freedom’.
In it he delves into the theme of inner awareness and healing and speaks of his work with young teenagers and ex-gang members as he tries to help them become important members of society.
Last year alone he spoke in 16 countries including a two-month long tour in Australia and a visit to Liberia, where he reached out to former child soldiers who had taken part in the bloody civil war that left thousands scarred by the violence and divided the country for over a decade.
Pridmore has travelled to LA to meet Paul Kelmenson, a Hollywood producer who was responsible for the movie blockbusters ‘Ronin’ and
‘American History X, as he wants to bring Pridmore’s story of hope to the big screen.